Law and Courts

Cpl. Chuck Strachan, right, was named Officer of the Month by the Williston Police Department, as it recognizes superior performers among the ranks. Strachan was singled out for his case follow up leading to an arrest, improvement to instrument test systems and professional compliance efforts. Steve McMillan, left, of Turning Point Fitness Center donated a free month membership to Strachan. Also shown is Police Chief Dan Davis.

Computer fraud, fraudulent company checks and internal theft have dominated the action for Williston Police Officers in recent weeks. A Williston man wired $25,000 to California to purchase a boat on ebay. There is no boat, the bank account in California has been cleaned out and the suspect has disappeared. Another resident thought he had his pickup sold on Craig's List. The would-be-buyer sent a check for the truck and money to pay a transporter. The check is bad. There will be no sale. In another area case, a person expressed interest in a horse for sale on ebay.

The Levy County Sheriff's Office is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of person or persons involved in a 2007 homicide in Fanning Springs.

On Dec. 21, 2007 at 9:19 p.m., the Levy County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call at 9210 NW 178 Lane. The caller stated that a vehicle crashed in the McDougal Mobile Home Park and the vehicle was on fire.

The following persons were sentenced, found not guilty or the case nolle pros — dropped — in the Criminal Division of the 8th Circuit Court in Levy County. The information was taken from public records.

“Having a fully staffed department has enabled us to maintain a superior response time–two minutes on average–and an excellent investigative effort,” said Chief Dan Davis, who has been with the city for 10 years.

A few more Williston police cars will soon be equipped with video cameras, thanks to a stimulus grant from the Department of Justice.

The department will use the $24,097 to outfit the cars, according to a spokesman. Currently three cars have video cameras.

The money is expected in October and comes partially due to the department’s accurate and timely reporting of Uniform Crime Reporting. It is the largest award to a city police department in Levy County.